Taiwan Culture Tours

A new tourism initiative will provide off-the-beaten-path travel ideas for five Taiwan locales rich in history and culture, according to the National Culture and Arts Foundation June 19.

“With years of experience collaborating with local groups and communities, the foundation is ready to offer an in-depth look into Taiwan’s veritable treasure trove of cultural life islandwide,” said Stan Shih, foundation head and founder of computer-hardware manufacturer Acer Inc.

The five destinations are Hualien County, Tainan City, Changhua County’s Lugang Township, Yilan County and Shuinandong, a mountainous gold-mining town in New Taipei City, organizers said.

Adopting the slow travel emphasis on engagement with communities, the itineraries boast a range of unique programs such as making palakau, a traditional bamboo fishing device used by the indigenous Amis tribe in Hualien, or learning how to drum with a musician in Shuinandong.

Local historians and community workers will be hired as tour guides to give an authentic experience to travelers, sources said.

With one- and two-day packages targeting groups, the foundation expects to collaborate with companies that organize annual outings for their employees.

The packages will go on sale at a local travel agency starting 1st July 2012, with prices ranging from A$40 to A$300, sources noted.

(Source: MOFA.gov.tw)

A set of cultural tour packages will take travelers to Tainan’s historical neighborhoods to discover unique local businesses such as this workshop producing hand-carved wood signs.